Obs. Forms: 4–7 blere, 5 bleere, 6 bleare, 6– blear. [app. distinct from the prec.: perhaps onomatopœic, but naming a gesture rather than a sound, though some inarticulate sound may have originally been implied. Cf. BLARE v.] intr. To protrude the tongue in mockery. Also To blear with the tongue. trans. To blear (out) the tongue (at, against, upon).
a. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 2226. And grymly gryn on hym and blere.
c. 1430. Hymns Virg. (1867), 60. While þou art a child, With þi tunge on folk þou bleere.
1481. Caxton, Reynard (Arb.), 86. The asse … bleryd, grennyd and songe.
1530. Palsgr., 457/2. I bleare with the tonge. Ibid. The knave bleareth his tonge at me.
1535. Coverdale, Isa. lvii. 4. Vpon whom gape ye with youre mouth, & bleare out youre tonge? Ibid. (1550), Spir. Perle, xxix. (1588), 279. Not once to blear or to open their mouths against it.
1605. Bp. Andrewes, Serm., ii. 173. Wagging their heads, writhing their mouths, yea blearing out their tongues.
¶ Cf. the following, and BLARE v.
1616. T. Scott, Christ’s Polit., 7. All that the silly sheep can do, is only to bleare and bleate a little with his tongue.
